Upcoming Events ...

It's been a while since I sat down to meditate on the state of our parish and the many fantastic things that are happening at St. Michael.  The main reason is that there are so many fantastic things happening at St. Michael!  But as part of that, I want to invite you to be a part of it!

Here are a few things going on in the next 2 weeks:

Parish Penance Service -- in church, Wednesday, April 9, at 7 pm

Come experience the powerful and transformative mercy of God! We'll have a bunch of different priests available to hear your Confession and help you get ready for Easter.

Stations of the Cross -- in church, Friday, April 11, at 7 pm (English) and 8 pm (Spanish)

The the time to walk with Jesus in His suffering and death. Be touched by the tremendous love He had for us to give Himself in offering for our sins! This is a great preparation for hearing the Passion this coming Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday...

Palm Sunday  -- regular Mass times.

A free souvenir palm comes with every Mass attendance! :)

Chrism Mass -- in church, Tuesday, April 15, at 2 pm

Come celebrate the gift of God's healing, sanctifying, and governing grace to the Church as the Bishop consecrates the Sacred Oils used in the Sacraments for the coming year!

Triduum and Easter -- you don't want to miss this high point of the Church Year. (There's so much going on that you'll just have to go on the parish website and read for yourself.)

Due to these events, the Luke 5:29 Bible Study will NOT MEET for the next 3 weeks. We'll get together again on April 30 at 5:29 pm in the Youth Room above the Parish Center. 

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you!

Because by Your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world!

"At the preaching of Jonah they repented"

It's been a while since I shared a thought through Father Ryan Online ... blame it on my retreat which led into Lent at St. Michael Parish. But as I sit here preparing for tonight's Mission Mass, I can't help but be struck by the readings which the Church provides for her  liturgy today.  As we wrap up our reflection on "Our Call to Holiness and How to Get There," the Church invites us to reflect on the life of the prophet Jonah -- the guy who provided a three-day snack for a great fish.

Jonah is a great reminder for us about what the call to holiness means. He didn't want to be holy. He actively tried to RUN AWAY from God's call to holiness. He wanted to get as far away as possible from his vocation. And yet God intervened in his life in a powerful way to BRING HIM BACK to where he needed to be ... with the result that "a very large city" repented of their sins, down to the last donkey.

So often we think that holiness is something that we have to do. Yet we learn from the life of Jonah that God desires our holiness even more than we do. He desires to intervene in our lives to put us where we need to be ... in short, to help us to respond to His love, and thus to BE HOLY. When it comes to our part, WE need only place ourselves in a position where we can respond to that call. We need only open our hearts to receive His grace so that we can respond to that love. We need only "pull a Jonah" and let ourselves be taken to where we need to be.

I hope to see you at the Parish Mission Mass tonight at 7:00 at St. Michael's. ... And until then, may God give us the grace to hear His call and allow Him to put us where we need to be, so that we can be holy.

When was the Last Time YOU Went to Confession?

I was so proud of our second graders who received First Penance the past two weekends. One of the parents handed me this cartoon and got me thinking ... when was the last time YOU went to Confession?

Are You a Twitter-er?

If so, you can follow Father Ryan on Twitter through @FrRyanElder.

God bless you -- Nuntiatur Evangelium!

BIBLE STUDY: CANCELLED THIS WEEK!

It's one of those unfortunate things that we've had 2 weeks without Bible study now ... but I certainly didn't drive anywhere today, and I don't want you to do that, either.  So, for safety's sake, there will be NO BIBLE STUDY TODAY ... and we'll pray for better weather next week.

If you're an eager beaver and want to check up on what we WOULD have done, the readings for Sunday are here ... and St. Sophronius (a bishop from olden days) has this to say about the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord:

(By way of context, this Sunday we will process into church with lighted candles to celebrate the entrance of Jesus into the Temple with his parents. Then we will undergo that great Catholic tradition, the Blessing of the Throats in Honor of St. Blase. But I digress ... back to St. Sophronius -- ) 

In honor of the divine mystery that we celebrate today, let us all hasten to meet Christ. Everyone should be eager to join the procession and to carry a light.

Our lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and to make the whole universe radiant with the brilliance of his eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ.

The Mother of God, the most pure Virgin, carried the true light in her arms and brought him to those who lay in darkness. We too should carry a light for all to see and reflect the radiance of the true light as we hasten to meet him.

The light has come and has shone upon a world enveloped in shadows; the Dayspring from on high has visited us and given light to those who lived in darkness. This, then, is our feast, and we join in procession with lighted candles to reveal the light that has shone upon us and the glory that is yet to come to us through him. So let us hasten all together to meet our God.

The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendor, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendor.

So: for the rest of this week, if you ever get back to school and I ever go back to work in my office, let's be aware of the ways we can bring the light of Jesus' love and hope to those around us. And come to think of it, maybe we should look for that opportunity when we're NOT back at school, and have the opportunity to show that love and care to the family members we don't see a whole lot on a normal day.

Be safe and warm today -- I'll see you on Sunday for 5 PM Adoration and 6 PM Life Teen Mass!

How Ordinary is Today?

As of Monday, the Church began the season of Ordinary Time. We're back to those beautiful green vestments again! But in the new translation of the Roman Missal, we call these weeks "The Weeks through the Year." We hear again the invitation from the Church to keep walking with Jesus as a disciple.

But we just heard on Sunday about the Baptism of Jesus. We were reminded that the focus of our discipleship is drawing deeper through Him into the relationship of the Trinity ... coming closer to that eternal relationship of love that created us in the first place. We learned once again that each of us, through our baptism, is "my beloved son (or daughter, as the case may be), in whom I am well pleased."

So, the question is, halfway through this First Week of the Year, can we accept that invitation? Can we see the actions of our life -- ordinary actions on an ordinary day -- as steps which help us to walk with Jesus as His disciple? Can we live and act from this identity of a beloved child of God in small moments as well as big and important ones?

Sure we can ... because we're walking "through the year" with Jesus, toward the love of the Trinity.

LUKE 5:29 BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT!

Hello, Life Teen high school students!
Luke 5:29 Bible Study starts
TONIGHT, at 5:29 PM
in the Youth Room above the Parish Center!

Come, pray, and eat! Bring a friend or three!
And if you think of it, bring your Bible and Rosary with you, too.

We'll be discussing the Sunday readings ... if you want to pre-read them, they're here.

New Beginnings

As we start this new year, I can't help but think of the words of the great (and old) Church hymn, the Te Deum. They express our tremendous thanks to God for the many wonderful things He has done for us throughout the year 2013, and they remind us that our invitation and response is to give God our best and our all in the New Year. For myself, I am tremendously grateful to God for calling me to the Priesthood and for sending me (through our bishop) to St. Michael's parish. What a learning experience this has been, and what a blessing it has been to be involved in so many ways!

Though in spite of the praise and thanksgiving this hymn inspires in us, there are some interesting phrases. "The chorus of martyrs praises you"?  They sure do ... and, like St. Stephen last week, they remind us that a live given totally in service to God and our neighbor is our greatest hope of Heaven.

TE DEUM LAUDAMUS

     You are God: we praise you;
    You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
    You are the eternal Father:
    All creation worships you.
    To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
    Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
    Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
    heaven and earth are full of your glory.
    The glorious company of apostles praise you.
    The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
    The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
    Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
    Father, of majesty unbounded,
    your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
    and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
    You, Christ, are the king of glory,
    the eternal Son of the Father.
    When you became man to set us free
    you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
    You overcame the sting of death,
    and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
    You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
    We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
    Come then, Lord, and help your people,
    bought with the price of your own blood,
    and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
    Save your people, Lord;
    and bless your inheritance.
    Govern and uphold them now and always.
    Day by day we bless you.
    We praise your name for ever.
    Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
    Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
    Lord, show us your love and mercy;
    for we put our trust in you.
    In you, Lord, is our hope:
    and we shall never hope in vain.

But, of course, if you're so inclined, you can find the original Latin chant on YouTube.

Happy New Year, and God bless you!

Role Models

We all need role models for our lives. Yesterday we celebrated the birth of Jesus, and today, on the Feast of St. Stephen, we see how we can live a life of devotion to him. Let me share with you a snippet of a homily by St. Fulgentius of Ruspe that explains what I mean:

And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier. Love was Stephen’s weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his name. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment. Strengthened by the power of his love, he overcame the raging cruelty of Saul and won his persecutor on earth as his companion in heaven. In his holy and tireless love he longed to gain by prayer those whom he could not convert by admonition.
Now at last, Paul rejoices with Stephen, with Stephen he delights in the glory of Christ, with Stephen he exalts, with Stephen he reigns. Stephen went first, slain by the stones thrown by Paul, but Paul followed after, helped by the prayer of Stephen. This, surely, is the true life, my brothers, a life in which Paul feels no shame because of Stephen’s death, and Stephen delights in Paul’s companionship, for love fills them both with joy. It was Stephen’s love that prevailed over the cruelty of the mob, and it was Paul’s love that covered the multitude of his sins; it was love that won for both of them the kingdom of heaven.

Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defence, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end. 

My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.

I couldn't have said it better myself.  Merry Christmas, and Happy Feast of St. Stephen!

"Unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks"

I know I just posted about gratitude yesterday, but ... as they say ... 'tis the season. I found this address from President George Washington announcing the first official Thanksgiving celebration as the United States, and I thought it bore sharing.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

October 3, 1789

Dear Lord, grant us forgiveness for our national transgressions and increase in us Your peace and Your blessings! Amen!

Just a reminder: Thanksgiving Day Mass is at 9:30 (English) and 11:30 (Spanish)!